Customize start page

[CharlieMcD]

A search has not produced an answer to my question yet I'm sure it has been discussed. I would like to have a start page where one can click on 4 different links to start four different mini slides shows within the program. Specifically, I am a wedding photographer producing slide shows for the bridal couple. I would like to have a starting page where my clients can click "ceremony", "formal portraits", "reception" and "view photo album options". Please point me in the right direction - I saw it being used by another person but was unable to ask them how it was accomplished.

Thanks in advance.

Charlie McDonald

www.summerbreezephotography.com

[boxig]

Hi Charlie,

On each button you choose the action "Run application or open file". Write the name of the mini show you want this button to open, example: ceremony.exe. Do not put the " ", just the name of show. You can put this action also under an image, so you can use images instead of buttons. you can use also transparent images in case you make one background image.

There are also some free utilities which you can use to open multi shows which you can find Here.

[JRR]

Charlie:

I'll add a little to Boxig's note.

The Opener/start page should be a one image slide show that is set to remain on the screen at last slide.

Place your objects on this one image (I often use a small version of the individual show's title slide for these objects)

As Boxig says set the action to "Run application or open file" and add the link to the appropriate show which should be set to close last slide at end.

Hope that helps.

This is one of several routines that should be in a FAQ someplace, along with:

- how to make an autostart CD,

- sound editing software and techniques,

- image/file size to use

- can I use this software on a MAC

- etc etc

[CharlieMcD]

You guys are great. I will work on it.

[alrobin]

See PicturesToExe FAQ here. (Very much out of date, but answers some questions.) Doesn't help with objects, though

[Keith Brookshire]

This post partially answered my question. For the project I have in mind I can get by with the hot links on the opening and closing pages. But, I really want to have these hot buttons on every page. Is that possible? If not, can I at least have a button each page that would take the viewer back to the start up page where the rest of the hot links are found?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Keith Brookshire

Keith Photography

www.keithphoto.com

[alrobin]

Keith,

Welcome to the PTE forum!

If you use the navigation bar feature, you will have a "hot link" on each page. You can also add a button to each page through the "Object Editor" which can be "programmed" to take you back to the first page. Either of these methods would be simpler than adding a set of buttons to each page to take you to other programs such as a new slide show.

However, if you want, you can create a set of buttons on the first page to take you to separate shows, and then just copy them over to the Object Editor for each other slide.

[Guest Techman1]

Charlie,

I've done the same thing that you are working on currently for my wedding clients. The one thing that I found out (which may help you) is that your Main Menu should not have music on it if you plan on having the menu still active in the background. This means that when someone selects one of the other areas (i.e., Reception, Ceremony, etc.), this menu will continue to be active in the background in case they hit ESC or Exit the Reception Slideshow.

This will probably make more sense when you get into it, but I wanted to let you know that there are some issues with keeping a "main" menu active and playing music in that menu.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll find that PTE will do an excellent job for your customers. My clients have been more than excited about the end product!

Fred

[Keith Brookshire]

Thanks!!!!

The copy and paste from the object layer is just what I was looking for. I thought I might have to place them manually on each slide.

Thanks Again

Keith

[roymac]

As a newcomer to the forum I would like to thank all of you for helping me to get my first comprehensive slide show up and running, one that has both navigational bars and a menu driven opening screen. I have read with interest all the posting on the subjects that I am interested in and by this means have found the know how to progress. I have been playing around with PTE (now the 4.2 beta version) for the last few months and have been both thrilled and enthused with the simple slide shows I have produced to date and now with the addition of being able to use the object editor I see me spending far more hours building up slide shows than taking photos during these long winter months. Can I make the following remarks or ask the following questions: You must excuse me if I cross the bounds of many topics in this my first posting but I know you will indulge me on this one occasion!

(1) On the question of music being used on the show containing the opening screen, is the answer to have it as background on that show and have none on the others, would it not just continue over all of them? May not suit all applications but on the one I am building it would be ok, I have yet to test the theory.

(2) Keeping on the music subject, is it possible to fade one tune into another at a precise slide position without having going to go to the bother of stitching the MP3’s together?

(3) I would like to thank in particular “Miichel” for inspiring me to get involved with producing slide shows. The shows I have downloaded from his web site have opened my eyes as to what can be achieved. Because of the ease of displaying and downloading from his site it has also inspired me to build a similar site to his, is there any help out there with doing that. I am a photographer with an interest in computing rather than the other way around.

That’s all for now, thanks for your indulgence and your help

Roy

Wales UK

[Guest Techman1]

Roy,

Welcome to the forum first of all!

Regarding your question #1, yes you could follow that method and just have that music loop in the background. When you select your other shows, just make sure no music has been selected and that you leave the initial menu program running "When show ends keep last slide in show on screen".

On #2, PTE doesn't offer a fade or any audio editing features (yet). As a result, you would need to do this with another program outside of PTE.

Regarding #3, I use Adobe Photoshop & ImageReady (part of Photoshop) to develop web sites & web images. Someone else can probably expand on other utilities and methods of creating web pages.

Anyway, good luck and enjoy PTE. It's a great program as you've already discovered!

Fred

[JRR]

Adding to Fred's answers:

Question 1:

Music added via PROJECT OPTIONS>MUSIC tab will play as background and will loop if you ask it to. Unless you synch it, it plays indepenedently of the images

You can add music on the SOUND line under the slide list for particular slides. This sound will play along with the background, only while the associated image is on the screen.

You can add music under CUSTOMIZE SLIDE>MUSIC. That music will over ride the background music and stop it.

QUestion 2.

As Fred says there is no sound editor to fade/edit sound files within PTE. Only program that I know that has that is Adobe Premiere, it only costs $1000

But if you use the sound line you can synch your images throughout the show to the music and line up a slide transtion as the music changes.

[roymac]

Hi,

Thanks Fred and Jim for you prompt comments, I will have a play around with your ideas.

With my web question I am interested in having the ability on my site (like“Miichel”) of displaying my slide shows and for others to download them. I find it so dificult to email reasonable size shows to my son in Australia that I see this as the only way over the problem.

Roy

Wales UK